Sweet Tooth
by Silverr
Summary: Ginji, chocolate, love, profit. Valentine's Day! Starring grumpy Ban and an unexpected Cupid. ** First posted April 2005 for 30 kisses.


_Disclaimer: GetBackers is the property of Yuya Aoki, Rando Ayamine, Kodansha, TBS, Konami, TokyoPop, ADV and others who can claim copyright to the series. No infringement or disrespect of the intellectual property rights held by the owners of existing copyrights in GetBackers or its derivative works is intended by this non-profit, noncommercial amateur fan fiction._

* * *

Sweet Tooth

* * *

_By Silverr_

The ball of cheerful energy that was Ginji Amano rushed from the twilight of early evening into the Honky Tonk and plonked a cardboard box onto the counter of the deserted restaurant.

"Where is everyone?"

His ears perked up when he heard giggles coming from the back. "Hello?"

He started towards the kitchen, but a moment later Paul and Natsumi came out laughing.

"Paul," Ginji asked in his best big-brother voice, "You're not making improper advances toward your employee, are you?"

"Of course not," Paul said with a huff.

Natsumi, who was still giggling, clapped her hands and said, "So wonderful! Master was making shadow animals on the wall! Rabbits and dogs and birds and butterflies."

"Oh?" Ginji asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I've got many hidden talents," Paul said blandly. He nodded at the counter. "So what's in the box?"

Ginji stuck out his chest and said expansively, "Only the perfect thing to bring more customers in here."

"Is that so?"

"Sure!" Ginji said enthusiastically. "You need help! I mean, look at this place - it's totally deserted!"

"I have a customer," Paul said mildly.

Ginji looked over his shoulder into the dimly-lit restaurant and did a double-take. In a heavily-shadowed booth far from the window was a figure with a long black coat and a wide-brimmed black hat.

"What's _he_ doing here?" Ginji asked sharply.

"He's a paying customer," Paul said pointedly. "Been coming in every night for more than week."

"Do you know how _dangerous_ that guy is?" Ginji whispered, trying to figure out a way to keep his back turned enough so that Akabane couldn't hear him but not enough to make an inviting target of his spine. "He's got ..." Ginji made a fist and shook in front of his navel, whispering, "He has _knives_ that come out of his _knuckles_!"

"He orders the dinner special every night," Paul said, "And he pays when he's done eating. Unlike some deadbeats I won't mention."

"I hope you're giving him decaf," Ginji advised. "Take my word for it, you don't want him getting jumpy."

"I'll have my dessert now, if you'd be so kind." The words floated out of the shadowy corner as delicately as droplets of Chinese Water Torture. "Fresh berry pie, I think."

Natsumi bobbed her head and disappeared into the kitchen. When she reappeared with the pie Ginji took the plate from her. "I'll do it," he whispered. "The further you stay away from that person the better."

"That person," Natsumi stared at the slice of pie, seemingly hypnotized by the oozing dark red juice. After a second she snapped out of it and asked urgently, "Is this a safe distance?"

'I think so," Ginji said. "Just stay behind the counter." Exhaling with determination, he marched over to the booth, set the pie down at the edge of the table, and then began to back away.

"Thank you, Ginji-kun," Akabane "Dr Jackal" Kurodo said in the uniquely precise, oh-so-polite way that made Ginji feel as though he was pondering the most entertaining spot on Ginji's body to begin an evisceration. "Won't you join me? There is more than enough for two."

Ginji eyed the slice, which in the dim light looked as though it was filled with something not even remotely close to pie filling, and shook his head. "No, thanks, really," he said, hoping that his voice didn't betray too much of his nervousness.

"You don't like desserts?" Akabane asked, using his knife to cut a tiny triangle from the tip of the slice of pie. "I must confess ... I myself crave something sweet ... from time to time."

Ginji swore he could hear Natsumi gulp. His brow furrowed suddenly. "What are you doing in here anyhow?"

"I was waiting for someone," Akabane said, dipping his head, laying down his knife.

'Who?" Ginji asked, a bit demanding. Damn that face-hiding hat anyhow.

As if reading Ginji's mind Akabane removed his hat, picked up his fork, lifted the morsel of pie, placed it between his thin lips, swallowed, then put the fork back down. "How delicious that was," he said. He folded his hands primly in his lap and looked at Ginji.

"Er, I'll tell the cook." Ginji quickly retreated to the counter. He sat sideways on the stool, trying to watch Akabane from the corner of his eye.

"So what's in the box?" Natsumi asked with false cheer, trying to distract herself. Lifting one of the flaps of the box she gave a genuinely pleased, "OOO! Chocolate!"

"What's it for?" Paul asked testily. "I'm not buying anything."

"It's to sell to your customers," Ginji said. "You could keep 10 of the gross sales."

"Fifty," Paul said imperturbably, polishing a glass.

"_Fifty_?" Ginji was aghast. "But you won't have to do anything! With Valentine's Day coming up, all you'll have to do is let it sit on the counter. It'll practically sell itself!"

"I already agreed to put out one retail display," Paul said. "I don't need two."

"What? When? Where?"

Paul pointed to a small, cunningly constructed blue and white cardboard case at the end of the counter. The "Healthy Living Kiosk" was designed like an apothecary's storefront, the shelves neatly displaying rows of small bottles. Ginji picked one up and read. "Wada Calcium-28 ... so what is this stuff?"

"Calcium builds strong bones," came a silky voice at Ginji's elbow. Ginji jumped as Akabane held up a fist and added, "and healthy ... _skin_."

Ginji looked at him wide-eyed with near terror. "Don't sneak up on people like that!"

"You look as though you suffer from stress, Ginji-kun," Akabane continued softly, "Did you know that calcium also aids in relaxation? Perhaps you should purchase some. For yourself, or perhaps as a gift for your - " he paused, "partner?"

It was amazing how Akabane could make even an innocent word sound sinister. "No," Ginji blustered, then said, "Ban would never take supplements, and I'd rather have chocolate."

"Chocolate isn't very healthy, is it?" Akabane said, peering at the shiny red and gold and silver boxes. "Bad for the teeth, bad for the," he paused, "_skin_. It's a wonder it's so popular."

"It tastes good!" Natsumi said from behind the safety of Paul's shoulder.

"Oh?" Dr. Jackal turned to her and smiled faintly.

"It tastes like happiness and love," Natsumi added in a spurt of bravado.

"Is that so?" Dr Jackal replied oh-so-politely. "Well, after all ..." He smiled wider, which was chilling. "... love can be stressful as well as pleasant." Ignoring the uncomfortable silence that met this remark, he dropped several folded bills on the counter, placed his hat on his head, and glided out into the night.

"That guy ... really bugs me," Ginji said, glaring.

"He gives me the creeps," Natsumi said.

"Has he been bothering you?" Ginji asked.

"Not really. But I stay in the back if he's the only customer when Paul's not here."

"You leave her here alone with that guy?" Ginji was horrified. "You shouldn't even let him in here!"

Paul shrugged and said evasively, "As long as he doesn't cause any trouble, I can hardly keep him out."

"I know," Ginji said morosely. "I think it's a good idea if I walk Natsumi home, though."

"I agree," Paul said, and then added,. "We'll be closing up soon. You can have a sandwich while you wait, if you want."

Ginji decided to take advantage of Paul's good mood. "So it's OK if I leave these here?" He began to arrange the boxes of chocolates next to - and slightly in front of - the Kiosk of Healthy Living.

"Sure, but you get a week," Paul said. "If they don't sell, they're outta here."

"Thank you!" Ginji smiled. "Just think of how many happy lovers there'll be!" He smiled at Natsumi. "When you can't express how you really feel, chocolate is the next best thing, right?"

"Umm-hmm!" Natsumi nodded emphatically as she wiped the Honky Honk's tables down.

"Alright, alright," Paul grumbled, "enough with the sales pitch." He added, just loud enough for Ginji to hear, "I hope you appreciate the favor, me letting you take up my valuable counter space."

"Your valuable _unoccupied_ counter space," Ginji grumbled back.

* * *

"Gah, doesn't that girl ever take a day off? And since when did Jackal become a regular?" Ban asked after Natsumi had called for the fifth night in a row. "Bastard keeps breaking up my evening. can't a man get any peace in his own house?" House was an exaggeration, as The GetBackers had been hired to watch a tiny downtown apartment for a month while the owners went on safari. Tucked off a landing up nine flights of stairs, the "kitchen" was so small they had to take turns being in there, the "bedroom" (which Ban had called dibs on) was the size of a closet, and the water pressure was so low that the bathwater was cold by the time the tub was filled.

Still, not having to sleep in the car was an undeniable luxury.

"I have a feeling he's up to something," Ginji said as he put on his shoes. He had made Natsumi promise to call for an escort any night that Akabane showed up at the diner. "He's doing that ultra-nice thing. It makes me nervous." He gave a little shudder. "But I'm not gonna let him get near her."

"Humpf. You like having the excuse to check up on your chocolate empire," Ban said, lighting another cigarette and half-heartedly scanning the paper.

Ginji grinned. "Well, it seems like it's selling like crazy. There must be a ton of money in the box by now!" Natsumi had made a festive, bow-trimmed collection box and matching sign for the candy display. "I'll bet it's all gone by tomorrow!"

"I hope so, " Ban mumbled after the door slammed behind Ginji, "No one's gonna buy any _after_ Valentine's Day."

The next night, Ginji - who had been getting up at 3 am to deliver newspapers as part of their constant scramble for living expenses - looked so peaceful snoring on the couch that Ban, who took Natsumi's call, grudgingly decided to let his exhausted partner sleep.

The night was unusually warm, the weather a combination of fog and drizzle that gave every streetlight a hazy pink halo, blurred the lights of far-off buildings into glittery sparkles, and paved the streets with black lace.

Pink and glitter and lace. "Valentine's Day," Ban said with a snort. "Now he's got me seeing it everywhere I look, the big sap."

As he turned the corner of the street to the Honky Tonk, his senses tingled. He melted into an inky doorway and scanned the landscape. There - in the park - he could sense someone sitting in the shadows.

Watching the restaurant.

After a few minutes the figure stood, then sauntered away. The wide-brimmed hat was unmistakeable.

Ban waited for several minutes to make sure that he was gone, then, curious, went swiftly to the bench where he'd been sitting. Something glinted there: a small heart-shaped box. The candy inside was uneaten, but by the wavering flame of his cigarette lighter Ban saw with a chill that every single chocolate had been sliced into tiny, identically-sized triangles.

* * *

"Ready, Natsumi?" Ban said, hustling into the diner. The sooner he got her home, the better.

"I'll just be a minute." She went in the back, untying her apron as she did so.

Ban drummed his fingers on the counter impatiently. He noticed the candy finally. Two heart-shaped boxes, red and gold. "Is this Ginji's stuff?"

"Yup," Paul said, "I have to hand it to him. It _was_ a good idea. That's all that's left."

"Really? Well, I guess some people are stupid enough to buy into everything that comes along."

"What do you mean?"

"Valentine's Day. White Day. Sweetest Day. No other purpose than to boost the candy industry."

"Aw, what about love?" Natsumi said as she came out of the back and laid her folded apron on the counter.

"Love!" Ban scoffed.

"What's wrong with love?" Paul asked.

"It's so ... _frilly_." Ban waved his hands. "So much fuss over self-deception and lies." He added, muttering so that Natsumi couldn't hear, "though the sweaty groping isn't bad."

"Is that what you think love is?" Paul asked. "Pretty pathetic."

"Well, what do _you_ think it is then?" Ban challenged.

"Love," Paul said, polishing his glasses thoughtfully, "is when you enjoy spending time together. When you think about what would make the other person happy. When you share things. It's trusting the other person enough to show your true self and your true feelings, and accepting theirs."

Ban was silent.

"And that's what can make the _other_ thing you mentioned into a spiritual experience," Paul added under his breath. He took an envelope from behind the counter and held it out to Ban. "Well, you might as well take this, since Valentine's Day is over. Ginji made out pretty good this time."

Ban pocketed the envelope, then peeked over the counter. "You got a bag I could use?"

"For what?"

Ban gestured at the remaining chocolate.

"What do you think you'd be doing with it?"

"Taking it home. Why?'

"It's not leaving unless you pay me for it."

"Pay?" Ban squeaked in indignation. "But it's Ginji's chocolate. And you just said you doubted it would sell."

"Exactly. It's _Ginji's_ chocolate. It's in here on commission. You're not Ginji, so unless you buy it, you can't take it."

"But Ginji and I are - " Ban didn't finish the sentence.

"You're what?" Paul tipped his head and looked at Ban expectantly.

"Partners," Ban muttered defensively. He pushed up his glasses with a stab of his finger. "We're partners. We split costs and profits. What's his is mine. Or half of it, at least."

"So your partnership is strictly about the money?" Paul said with a raised eyebrow.

"What are you getting at?" Ban asked, bristling.

"Pipe down," Paul said. "Just saying, it wouldn't kill you to buy some out of your half of the profits."

"Why should I?"

"If you don't, someone else might."

"Why would I care?"

"Never mind," Paul said, turning his back to Ban and rinsing out the coffee maker.

"And what would I do with the candy after I buy it?"

Paul shook his head. "You're hopeless."

Ban, feeling somehow reprimanded, scowled. "How much would it be?"

"For what?"

"For the rest," Ban said sourly. "Of the candy."

Paul tapped a few numbers into a calculator, then mentioned a figure.

"_How_ much?" Ban squawked. "Are you charging me full price?"

"No," Paul said dryly. "I'm giving you 50 off the list price."

"You're taking advantage of me," Ban said darkly. "It's a big cut."

"And you have a big tab."

Ban couldn't argue with that, so he growled, paid Paul, stuffed the chocolates into a bag, and skittered out the door with Natsumi.

* * *

A sense of unease stayed with him even after he heard Natsumi bolt and triple lock her door, although he couldn't quite figure out why. Jackal was a psycho, true, but neither Himiko nor Hevn had ever mentioned any problems with him acting like a typical drooling male ... although considering that Jackal was about as far from being typical as you could get, it wasn't surprising that he didn't seem to pay any attention to a cute face and a good set of lungs. In fact, the only person that Jackal did pay much attention to was Ginji -

A red and gold box, the candy sliced to bits. Ginji, his face criss-crossed with blood and his clothes falling away in tiny triangles ...

Ban's feet hammered the pavement as he ran, the bag of chocolates rattling in his fist. He was being stupid, Ginji wasn't in any danger from Akabane. And Ginji certainly could take care of himself. He didn't need Ban protecting him as if he was some brainless, helpless damsel in distress. Ginji was fine.

Ban flew up the stairs up to the apartment three at a time. The door was unlocked - had he left it that way? He couldn't remember. He stood listening in the hall until he caught his breath, then slipped into the apartment, his heart banging in his chest.

Ginji was right where Ban'd left him, sleeping on the tiny couch with his arms and legs every which way like a big floppy dog. Ban tossed the bag of candy onto the sleeping blond, who woke with a snort.

"What's this?" Ginji asked, rubbing his eyes and yawning as he peered into the bag.

"The rest of your chocolate. Don't worry, I paid Paul for it."

"This is all that was left?" Ginji sat up, wide awake. "All the other boxes sold?"

"Yeah," Ban said, grinning in spite of himself at Ginji's dawning delight. He tossed the envelope over. "Profits."

Ginji looked inside, got wide-eyed, then pressed a kiss to the envelope. "Mmmmm, chocolate! You were so _good_ to us!" He poured the bag out onto the couch, then opened one of the boxes and began unwrapping and eating chocolates as if trying to break a world record.

"Ugh, how can you eat that stuff?" Ban asked. It was like watching a nature show.

"Like love, it's sweet," Ginji said between bites.

"Like love, it's never as good as you think it's going to be," Ban said grimly, reaching for the smallest piece and unwrapping it slowly.

"Ooo neba oh ill oo eee ih," Ginji said, his jaws impaired by an accumulation of caramel.

"What?"

"I _said_," he said, licking melted chocolate from his fingers with enthusiasm, " 'You never know 'til you eat it.' "

"That's a good way to get a mouthful of something horrible."

"No it's not," Ginji said. He swiped the half-unwrapped piece from Ban's fingers, peeled off the rest of the wrapper, and stuffed the candy into Ban's mouth. "When you're happy _everything_ tastes good. Or when you're hungry."

"Not _this_ chocolate," Ban said, making a face as he chewed. "Brown wax would taste better. Where did you get this stuff anyhow?"

"Found it," Ginji said proudly.

"Wait ... this candy you _found_?"

Ginji shrugged. "Yeah, a crate of it." As Ban started to spit the chocolate out Ginji said indignantly, "Hey, I'm not a _complete_ idiot, Ban-chan! First I tried to find out who it belonged to, but no luck. Then I checked them out to make they weren't spoiled, since I didn't want anyone to get sick. Finally I decided to take advantage of the opportunity."

"Are you sure they're OK? They taste funny to me," Ban said.

"I think they're delicious!"

"Because they were free?" Ban found himself reaching for a second piece.

"No," Ginji said, popping a cocoa-dusted truffle in his mouth and making a yummy-tummy face.

"Because expensive stuff _always_ tastes better?"

"Nooo," Ginji said.

"Then what?" Ban asked irritably, forcing himself to reach for his cigarettes instead of a third piece of candy.

"Because," Ginji said quietly, suddenly serious, "Because _you_ bought them."

Ban stared at Ginji's tentative, innocent face. It was probably his imagination, but right then he could have sworn he heard a twang, and felt a thud.

"Ban-chan," Ginji asked after a minute. "Is everything OK?"

"Yeah, partner," he said, "everything's fine." Then without thinking too much Ban tossed his cigarettes aside, pulled Ginji over by his vest, and hugged the astonished blond while candy wrappers fell to the floor around them in red and white and gold celebration.

* * *

Written for the 30kisses Live Journal Community challenge, this fic incorporated the following themes:

4. our distance and that person  
19. red  
23. candy  
28. Wada Calcium CD3  
30. kiss

first posted 19 April 2005.  
rev 26 June 2008  
(11)


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